Harry Potter and the Mad Scientist
by lordtrayus
Summary: When things begin to get out of control for the Ministry of Magic, a new movement is on the rise. and this movement is what will lay the foundations for things to become, and if not stopped, rip apart the fragile peace that was created following the war
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter**

Chapter One

Zann

Harry crept along the side of the building. Two guards were on the lookout. Easy.

Smiling, he raised his wand.

"_Stupefy Duo._" He said lazily.

The two men thudded to the ground. He then sent a message to the others. They were in.

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The shack was at the edge of Scotland, where, two years ago, Professors McGonagall and Flitwick had met a traitor to Voldemort and had first crossed swords with Lumiya's left hand man, Lord Wyrlock. Now, Tyber Zann, the cunning and calculating head of the Consortium Dark Arts group, was using it as a hideout. Not for much longer. Harry and his wife, Ginny were to enter first and attack Zann. Then Ron and Hermione would enter to deal with Zann's lethal bodyguard, Silri. And then Seamus and Parvati, now finally together, would enter to deal with Zann's right hand man, Uri Fen. Harry smiled at Ginny.

"Go."

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The door burst open with a wave of Ginny's wand. Tyber Zann, the tall head of the Consortium, turned to look at them.

He was a tall man, with shoulder length white hair and cold grey eyes. He looked just like Lucius Malfoy.

"Ah, Potter. We meet again. Is this yet another of your fabled attempts to catch me?"

Harry rolled his eyes.

"Zann, since we killed Voldemort, you've become the biggest pain in my life. So, yet again, you're under arrest."

Zann smiled.

"But, as always, you've forgotten Silri."

Silri burst into the room at that moment. A tall woman, with long raven black hair, and power corrupted grey skin like Voldemort's, she wielded a whip, just like Lord Maleval and Lady Lumiya had during the war. Silri cackled as Zann turned to leave. Harry just grinned. Silri brought her whip down, when it wrapped around someones arm. Silri looked amazed as Hermione stepped out of the shadows with her red haired husband Ron, Silri's whip wrapped around a special gauntlet that the Department of Mysteries had created to prevent Silri's whip giving Zann and advantage.

"And you forgot Ron and Hermione." Ginny smiled.

Zann looked sour. Zann didn't like the tables being turned on him.

"No matter." He said smoothly.

He clapped his hands and a small, squat thing sprang out of nowhere. It had once been a man. Uri Fen had gotten in the way of a Transfiguration spell when he was older, cast by a hopelessly inept wizard, and had been stuck looking like a crow ever since. The three sprang at the four Auror's, but were then stopped. Parvati and Seamus entered wands smoking. Uri cursed and flew at them, while Silri danced after Ron and Hermione and Tyber went for Harry and Ginny. Ginny blocked the shot Zann fired at Harry, as he turned into a lion and leapt at the group leader. Silri saw this and kicked Ron in the chin, and then brought her whip crashing around and into Harry. Hermione swore and fired a curse at Silri, which Uri blocked. Rather than having a wand, Uri had two magical blades attached to his arms. Zann however was bored of this game. As Ginny fired another spell at him, he whistled and a massive motorbike, Zann's favourite means of transport, crashed into the shack. Zann sprang on it. He revved the engine and drove straight towards Seamus and Parvati.

"_Expelliarmus_!" Ron yelled.

The two were forced out of the way by the spell, but Ron was in danger. Silri's whip sliced into his side and sent him to the floor. Hermione dashed towards him, leaving Harry and Ginny to stop Zann. Uri then leapt down and sliced into Ginny's side.

"Ginny!" Harry gasped in shock.

Uri then sprang onto the bike with Silri, Zann turned them around and they fled from the scene.

"Balls."

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Mrs Weasley shook her head.

"Mad. Why don't you find a nice, stable job where you wont get beaten up all the time?" she asked.

"Because they aren't any fun." Ginny retorted.

Mrs Weasley shook her head.

"Why does Harry let you come along on these things?"

Unfortunately, Harry entered then and sent a hurt, reproachful look at Mrs Weasley.

"Oh, I'm sorry Harry dear. But I don't like seeing my children get beaten up."

Harry glared at her.

"What's that supposed to mean? That I like watching my wife get beat up?"

Mrs Weasley was brought up short.

"Not what I meant dear."

Harry sat down beside Ginny, then softened.

"I know. But do you think I can stop her? Because I cant you know."

Ginny kissed him.

They were in the Hospital Wing of Hogwarts. Madam Pomfrey came bustling over.

"You know, there's a perfectly good hospital in London you can go to. This oine is meant for the students."

Harry grinned at her.

"Yeah, but there's no press here, we can catch up on all the gossip, and you're much better than anyone at St Mungos."

Madam Pomfrey blushed.

"Well, alright then…"

She then started to look for something. Mrs Weasley, who had known the matron for years, strongly suspected the matron had burst into tears at being so highly valued.

Ron and Hermione entered, Ron wincing.

"I hate that whip thing."

Hermione shook her head.

"Your own fault. I'm used to it. Silri is just as bad as Lumiya."

"Yeah but I never fought Lumiya much did I? That McGonagall and you who did that."

"And I just got beat up by wands." Harry complained.

"Yep. Voldemort, Umbridge, the Malfoys, Bella, me…" Ginny recited.

The door opened. Mr Weasley, Minister for Magic, and Professor McGonagall, Headmistress of Hogwarts entered.

"Ah my heroes!" Mr Weasley greeted them.

Hermione shot a venomous glance at him and he shut up.

"Zann again?" McGonagall asked, observing the state they were in.

"Of course."

"Ouch Ginny, that looks sore." Mr Weasley said in concern.

"Yeah. Seemingly your wife thinks I enjoy letting her get beat up like that." Harry said.

"Molly!"

"I didn't mean it the way it came out!"

"The problem is, we get beat up so much because we're out of practice. We all are." Ron said.

"He's right. Since the war ended, the darkest threats we've had are the group leaders, Idalma, or Ginny when I come home after twelve o'clock at night." Harry said.

"Am I not allowed to love and worry about my husband?" she asked.

"Well yeah, but when I've been out drinking you're a nightmare…"

"Because you normally come home with bruises because you've gotten into a fight with someone."

"Hey, I only did that twice, and both were your darling brothers!"

"And the other time was when I was watching Rika. You woke her up. Took me three hours to get her back to sleep. She's afraid of the dark and you stumbling around downstairs petrified her."

Harry answered back before Madam Pomfrey bustled back over and stuck medicine into Ginny's mouth to stop the argument.

The door opened again, this time revealing Tonks and Brisha, the second head of Intelligence.

"Well, Zann's disappeared. Yet again. It'll be weeks before we find him again." Brisha informed them.

Tonks sat down.

"See, if I was back at work being an Auror, Zann probably would have been crushed by something I'd knocked over by now." She said.

Harry grinned.

"We'll send for you next time we find him. You can knock the house down and trap him for us."

Tonks looked thoughtful.

"You know, we never had to deal with something like these groups. Things have changed now. We only had to keep an eye on old Death Eaters."

"That gets a bit boring for us though Tonks. We only have one Death Eater walking free." Ron said.

"All the same."

"Oh, that reminds me! Parvati has done all the paperwork, but Sirius isn't happy you let him get away again." Mr Weasley said.

"Nice of her. I did save her life though." Ron muttered to himself.

Harry scowled at the latter bit of the news.

"Well he can go and catch Zann himself and see how well he fares. You realise we haven't had a holiday since we finished Hogwarts? We've had Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Years Eve and Day off and two days in summer each. Nothing else."

Mr Weasley nodded gravely.

"I know. None of us have had a decent holiday, at least no one high up. We've all been too busy. It's driving us mad."

Tonks turned to Mrs Weasley.

"molly, when you're up late at night shouting at students, can you do it a bit quieter please?"

"I agree. You woke me, Filius, Nymphadora,"

"Don't call me Nymphadora!"

", Argus and Horace up with the noise you were making." McGonagall said ignoring Tonks.

"Who were you shouting at?" Hermione asked.

"A pair of first years, who were up on the Astronomy tower. I caught them, unfortunately for them."

Harry and Hermione exchanged a guilty grin, and smiled guiltily at McGonagall, who winked. The same thing had happened to them in their first year.

Brisha stepped forward.

"Arthur, the CFJ leader Nolat wants a talk with you next week."

Mr Weasley frowned. The CFJ, or Centaurs for Justice, was a group that had been set up a year previous, due to the fact that a centaur herd had been murdered by a group of werewolves. Now, they were demanding more land for centaurs and the protection of the Ministry.

"Oh fine."

However, just a few days before, the BFWE, the Board for Werewolf Equality, had sent his leader, Lamleav, to meet Mr Weasley. They wanted to stop the blame of everything that went wrong going on the werewolves and to remove all prejudice. Though there had been a very large improvement since the war had ended, mistrust still existed between the magical races, though now you had to really look to find it.

"Mad." Harry said as Ginny nestled up beside him and put her head on his shoulder.

Just then there was a loud crack. They looked around to see the small, brown figure of Togga, the House Elf Wizengamot member, appear.

"Talking about groups are you? Here."

She threw down a large bundle of leaflets.

The first was a disgusting pink effort. It bore the title:

_Gender Equality_

_Why should men make all our decisions? Why should we always have to clean up the mess?_

_Join the GE, and we will stop the mistreatment of women in our society!_

"How ridiculous!" McGonagall said.

"Now who? Oh, I should have guessed." Mr Weasley muttered.

"That stuck up French tart?" Hermione and Mrs Weasley said together.

"How did you know?" Togga asked with a grin as she moved to sit down beside Hermione.

"Zut." Mrs Weasley snarled.

Ron poked Hermione accusingly.

"You just don't like her because she made a move on me."

Hermione looked up at her husband.

"So, am I not allowed to protect my territory?"

He kissed her to shut her up, which had the desired effect.

"Stupid woman, starting another group. We have enough to be getting on with." Mr Weasley said.

"She cant be that stupid. She hasn't made a move towards Harry."

"She isn't suicidal sweetheart." Harry said.

"Gender Equality…what a load of nonsense. Stupid woman. I'll deal with her later."

"Does it really matter? So what, she's started a pressure group. She cant do much though. She hasn't got a case." Tonks said.

"True." Mr Weasley said happily.

"Check the other one though." Togga said.

"HELF. What's the hell is HELF?" Mr Weasley asked.

"Ask Hermione. She should know." Togga said.

The little elf seemed to be quite enjoying herself.

"How should I know?"

"Well, the leader got the idea from you."

Ron started to laugh.

"What's so funny?" Harry asked.

"Don't you see it Harry? It's the House Elf Liberation Front."

Harry started to laugh too.

"For heavens sake, how ridiculous!" Hermione said, flustered.

"And look who the leader is." Togga said.

Mr Weasley swore.

"But, how? He's dead!"

He showed the pamphlet to Harry.

"Kreacher!"

Kreacher was a foul, muttering, treacherous house elf that had destroyed the Astronomy Tower at the Battle of Earth and had betrayed the Order of the Phoenix, and had caused the events that led to Sirius' death.

"Why's he leading a group against the Ministry though?" Ron asked.

"Revenge probably. Remember, when I caught him, he was ready to betray us and join Voldemort." Togga said.

Mr Weasley shook his head.

"Two more groups to chip away at the Ministry's power. I don't like this."

He was worried. Something was going on. There were several small groups that had sprung up and were eroding people's confidence in the Ministry, slowly but surely.

"Well, this cant wait. I'll see you all later."

Togga followed.

"We need to get back to work." Tonks said, and she led McGonagall from the room.

Mrs Weasley hugged them all and then left.

Hermione flopped down in a chair.

"I hate fighting Zann." She moaned.

"Don't we all?"

Ginny patted Harry soothingly.

"Don't worry. Things cant get much worse can they?"

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"By all reports, the Dark Arts groups are chipping away at the Ministry's power, and making people see them as ineffectual. Tyber Zann in particular is good at escaping. His Consortium is eroding the Ministry's authority. They don't think the Ministry can take on the groups, and the pressure groups are showing people how ineffectual the Ministry is." Gulp said.

"However, the Aurors are biting back. Yesterday a massive assault dismantled yet another group. Harry Potter and company are seen as heroes still, even after two years." Crush reported.

"That's because Rita Skeeter is keeping quiet about how Tyber Zann always escapes from them." Anomyna mumbled.

She fixed the purple scarf that created a hollow around her face. A large veil covered her nose downwards. The purple scarf surrounded her entire head, so all that could be seen of her face was her eyes. She looked out of the window and into the dark grey Spirit Realm, which she had taken from the Dahaka the year before. It was now hers and a massive hybrid army of humans and Kath hounds was being built. She ruled over the Spirits and over the army she was creating. And soon, her enemies would know who they faced.

"The time is not yet. Continue building our forces. And keep and eye on the Fearless Foursome. They will soon know fear. And then I will have what shall be rightfully mine!"

**Well, I'm back! After a while, this is the second sequel to the Second War. This was written because I'm in a bit of a Harry mood at the moment. Deathly Hallows was brilliant, but could do with a bit more emotion, but thats my only complaint. (But I love a love story deep down, so I may be the only one who thinks this). So, this only follows my story of the Second War. So, Tyber Zann has escaped once again, Kreacher is back, that French tart Zut has created another pressure group, the Ministry's control is slipping, and Lady Anomyna is up to something. So, second chapter will hopefully be up by end of the week! I still have a lot more stories to tell, so please read and review as always!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter**

Chapter Two

The Cure

Harry smiled at Hermione as she entered the room. The four of them shared a flat in the middle of London, as Harry was loathe to enter Grimmauld Place and none of them had a house yet. Harry hoped they would soon have houses of their own. It was very difficult to have his wicked way with his wife when her brother was on the other side of the corridor.

"Morning Harry. Where's the coffee?"

Harry grinned.

"You'll have a hard job. Your husband finished it."

Ron entered with a steaming mug of coffee in his hand.

"Scumbag." Hermione said, throwing herself down into a chair.

Ron shrugged.

"Right, I'm on strike. I'm not going to chase after Zann again. I'm fed up of getting beaten up." Ron moaned.

"Count your blessings. I was nearly sliced to ribbons by Uri." Ginny said, sitting down with a cup of tea.

Hermione yawned.

"We'll see what Sirius has to say for himself."

Harry made a sour face.

"If he wants Zann caught, he can go and do it himself. He should stop getting us to do it, then blaming us when it all goes wrong."

Ginny smiled at her husband.

"Sweetheart, he just wants peace."

"And I want him to stop blaming us. It's not as if we let Zann escape!"

Ron looked at his brother in law.

"You know, you and Sirius always used to get on brilliantly. What happened?"

Harry frowned.

"I don't know. We were fine until Idalma came along. She then took us back to the way things were before the war. I think it made him angry to see that things like that still hadn't stopped. So, he just kept getting more and more vicious to Dark Arts users. And he sees us as failing to stop the Dark Arts because Zann keeps escaping us."

"He thinks we aren't doing our job properly?" Ginny asked.

"Well, that's what Lupin thinks anyway. He says Sirius thinks we're letting Zann escape all the time so we have something to do, so we don't get bored."

Hermione growled.

"As if we'd do that. We've seen what Dark wizards can do. We saw what Voldemort did during the war. Hagrid, Neville, Dumbledore, Cedric, Winky and all those others, we watched die, and he thinks we don't want to stop the people who do that for a living?"

"He's being stupid. Daraala's furious with him." Ginny said.

"She's not the only one." Harry growled.

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They jumped out of the fireplace as they entered the Ministry of Magic building. Now totally rebuilt following the war and the terrorist threat that followed, the statue in the centre of the Fountain of Magical Brethren had now changed. Wizards, witches, centaurs, elves, goblins and all sorts of other species now all stood shoulder to shoulder, showing the unity that was meant to exist between all magical races.

"Morning Susan." Hermione said.

Susan, a friend from Hogwarts, former member of the DA, and member of the Order of the Phoenix greeted them cheerfully.

"Atris is in today."

Harry was shocked.

"She's meant to be off sick. Have you seen her recently?"

"She said she had some things to do this morning. She looks worse than ever Harry."

The five of them entered the lift and headed down to their floor.

"Oh and I would not go into the misuse of Muggle Artefacts Office if I were you." Susan warned as they got out.

"Why not?" Ron asked.

"Someone took it upon themselves to enchant a hoover. The things going berserk. Junk everywhere, papers all over the place, the thing was firing sparks last thing I heard."

Then, right in front of them, a door burst open, and a large, purple Dyson hoover shot past, Willy Woodroy, the hapless head of the Misuse of Muggle Artefacts Office, being dragged along by the things power cable.

"You don't see that every day." Ginny stated as they entered the Auror office.

Susan waved goodbye as she went to her own office in Magical Law Enforcement, while the four headed deeper into their own office.

"Morning you lot." Ernie said as he read a report.

"What's that about?" Ginny asked, sitting down at her desk.

"The Exchange. Seemingly, they're dabbling in slavery now."

"Charming." Hermione said as she picked up a letter.

"Oh for heaven's sake!" Ginny snapped.

"What's wrong Ginny?" Padma Patil asked as she entered the office.

"The blasted Syndicat. They've decided to rob a bunch of drugs from a muggle drug baron. Now, of course, those muggles have seen them use magic, have the drugs, and we've got to deal with the mess!"

Harry grinned. His desk was mercifully free from near exposures by the Dark Arts groups. Sirius entered then, looking bad tempered. Daraala looked furious and upset as Harry watched her enter her own office.

Sirius swept past them all and locked himself in his office.

"This is such a cheery department." Harry quirked.

The door flew open and Willy shot past on the hoover, which was now emitting fire from its suckers. It then shot back out the door and down the stairs, Willy screaming in fury and pain.

"Sad soul." Hermione said with a smile.

Seamus, who had arrived as soon as Willy had shot out, bent down to whisper to Harry.

"You realise the poor sod will be going up and down the Ministry on that thing all day?"

Parvati hissed as she read her own reports. Then Ron abruptly swore.

"What now?" Harry asked.

"Look at this! Know Guri, from Black Sun?"

"Nice looking chick, nice back side, blonde hair?" Justin asked as he sat down.

"Yeah, her! She went on a killing spree last night. Five young men dead just because they asked her a simple question!"

Hermione narrowed her eyes.

"Well, I can imagine what sort of question that was. But still…"

Ron was swearing angrily as he picked up the phone to the Obliviator Department. Then, the door opened again. This time it was Atris. She looked terrible. About a year ago, she had contracted a mysterious illness. Nobody knew what it was. Now, she was barely recognisable. Her skin was now a sickly green colour. Her bright blue eyes, were now tinged with yellow and were dull. Her hair, normally full and vibrant, was lanky and unkempt. She trembled with every step, using her staff as a walking stick. She was incredibly shaky, none too steady, and looked as though she was withering away before their very eyes.

"Atris!" Harry exclaimed

Despite the fact that she had been signed off indefinitely due to ill health, he was quite pleased to see her. They had seen her only twice since she had come down with her illness, which the Ministry's doctors, nurses at St Mungos and even the great Madam Pomfrey were unable to explain.

"What are you doing here?" Hermione demanded.

"I work here." Atris said in a weary, pained voice.

"Atris, you can barely stand. Go home! Brisha is more than capable of leading Intelligence until you get better!" Ginny said.

"I want something to do! I'm going mad here! I'm not built for sitting at home and watching Neighbours, doctors and Murder She Wrote! I want to work!"

"You could always change the channel." Ron suggested.

Atris shot him a venomous glare, and Ron bowed his head.

"Atris!"

They all turned to see another member of the Order, and Atris' former handmaiden Brianna, who was an Auror.

"You're meant to be at home!"

"I wanted to come into work." Atris said defiantly.

"Atris, you aren't fit for work! You used to use your staff as a wand and to look intimidating. Now you use it as a walking stick!"

Atris sighed.

"I hate this!"

Harry felt an upsurge of sympathy for the woman. She didn't deserve this. As a former member of the Silent, the group that had been dedicated to stopping Phoenix, being brought low by an illness was very infuriating.

Brianna smiled.

"Kale isn't happy either."

Atris smiled.

Hermione looked at her.

"What did you do to him?"

"I turned his legs into tree stumps so he couldn't chase me and stop me coming in."

They laughed, and then the door banged open behind them.

"Don't you lot have work to do?" Sirius demanded.

Harry turned, furious.

"We're talking with a friend. I know that may be hard for you to understand, as you don't have any the way you've been acting recently, but we still do, so excuse us if we don't stop what we're doing just to keep you happy!"

All the way through his rant, he had ignored Ron, Hermione and Ginny shaking their heads in warning.

Sirius looked penetratingly at Harry.

"My office. Now!"

Sirius stormed into his office, Harry following in a rage behind him.

"That, you don't see everyday." Ernie said.

"When does Harry lose it like that?" Seamus asked.

"Fifth year." Ron said.

"And when I was angry at him for breaking up with me at the start of seventh year, and when I turned everyone against him because I thought he had betrayed me."

Verity, the former assistant of Fred and George's, and another Auror, entered.

"Well don't just stand there Let's find out what's going on!"

And with that, they all pressed their ears to Sirius' office door.

Sirius glared across at Harry.

"If you have a problem, you come and talk to me, you don't yell it out for the rest of the staff to see!"

"The rest of the staff already know you're being a complete and total arse! I just said what they've been longing to say since Idalma came along!"

"I wont be spoken to like that! If you lot aren't good enough to capture one Dark wizard, perhaps you'd be better off in another department!"

"We would be better off in another department, away from an arrogant jerk like you!"

"You father was always the same way! Always convinced he was right, but you, just like him, are wrong!"

Silence met these words. Harry glared at Sirius, his eyes beginning to swim. Then Harry whipped out his wand.

"_Stupefy_!"

Sirius was blown into the wall, and Harry slammed out of the office, knocking Seamus, Brianna and Verity off their feet in his temper.

"Harry!" Ginny called before following.

"Haven't you all got work to do?" Sirius yelled as he came out of the office.

That was a mistake. A golden staff hit his shins and took his legs out from under him.

"Sirius, I may be ill, but I can still spot an arsehole when I see one, and you're being one. So, unless you want me to find another Head of the Auror Department, I suggest you buck your ideas up!"

Sirius glared at her.

"You cant order me!"

"Oh yeah? Watch me. Intelligence has the right to take control of any department in the Ministry that isn't doing what its supposed to be doing, and that includes getting rid of its members! So, if you want to keep your job, I suggest you keep your temper under control!"

Sirius turned his back on her then slammed the door to his office.

"But he's right. Get some work done." Atris said softly.

Considering she was an ailing woman, no one disobeyed her. Brianna took Atris to the cantina to get some coffee, while the others set about doing some work. Ernie went to see Dobby and Togga, the House Elf leaders, about slavery of their race and where the Exchange might be getting them from, Ron went to clean up the mess Guri had left, Hermione went to Magical Law Enforcement to find out any new information, Parvati, Seamus, Padma and Justin went to try and stop a small Dark Arts group called Ring that had just sprang up, Demelza Robbins, the former member of Harry's Quidditch team, went to see about Desertwind, one of the larger group's latest activities, while Hannah Abbott, a former DA member, along with Terry Boot, another former DA member, went to Knockturn Alley to try and get some new information, leaving the werewolf Auror who had once saved Sirius, Daraala, Tonks and Lupin from Snape, Pettigrew and Lord Maleval, and Verity to deal with the paper work.

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Brisha snarled as it finished.

"what do we do about this then?"

Mr Weasley, the Minister for Magic, sighed, and looked at the Deputy Head of Intelligence.

"Call in the big guns. _Expecto Patronum_!"

Brisha smiled as his weasel Patronus shot through the air. Let's see what this lot thought of the Order of the Phoenix.

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Mrs Weasley looked at the mail. Yet again, she had been up yelling at first years at the back of one. Tonks had not been happy.

"Just think, a day of rest!" Mrs Weasley said.

Today, the first years were learning how to fly, and so were going to miss their Transfiguration lesson.

Madam Hooch sniffed.

"Easy for to say, I've got to deal with them now."

Trelawney then looked at Mrs Weasley.

"What is it dear?"

Mrs Weasley looked sourly at the letter in her hand.

"The ghost of aunts and uncles stupid acts coming to get me."

Flitwick peered up at the letter.

"Oh no. Not him again."

"Who?" Sprout asked.

"My mad cousin MacWeasley. Lets see what the old tartan dressed pillock has to say for himself this time… 'The time has come', 'come north for rebellion', surprise surprise, 'fight for freedom', 'liberate from oppressors', 'best sword in Scotland', 'insurrection', 'blood', 'claim to throne', the same old rubbish. He's mad. Mad as a mongoose. I hate it when he shows up."

The other staff smiled, when Mr Weasley's patronus shot into the Great Hall.

"He wants everyone at the Ministry." Slughorn said.

"Well, let's go then."

They all headed to McGonagall's office, which was the only room attached to the Floo Network, leaving the school in the charge of the Muggle Studies teacher Charity Burbage. They entered the office.

McGonagall was lying slumped against her desk, looking weary.

"Ah, Minerva."

They entered the room, to see tartan laces all over the place, porridge covering the door and walls, and two steaming haggises sitting on her desk.

"Am I to take it from your look of pie-eyed exhaustion, the porridge hanging off the walls, the haggises on your desk and the tartan all over the place, that my mad cousin MacWeasley has presented his credentials?"

McGonagall grinned.

"Oh yes. You just missed him. Quite the fellow! I'm as weary as a dog with no legs that just walked from John O'Groats to Land's End. He has quite the mighty weapon!"

"Thank you Minerva!" Flitwick squeaked.

She was pulled to her feet.

"Squeaky!" Tonks yelled.

Squeaky was the leader of the house elves at Hogwarts.

"Yes miss?" she asked.

"Clear up this mess would you?" Tonks asked.

"Yes miss."

Mrs Weasley shook her head.

"Mad!"

She threw a handful of floo powder into the fire.

"Ministry of Magic!"

With that, the thirteen Order members at Hogwarts headed to the Ministry, leaving the poor house elves to clear up the mess.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

She found Harry in the visitors entrance to the Ministry. His eyes were rather red. She kissed his wet cheek.

"You alright?"

Harry looked at her.

"I suppose."

"I cant blame you for yelling at him."

"He's being a jerk. I only said what the rest of you wanted to say."

Ginny nodded.

"He really upset you didn't he?"

Harry sighed.

"I'm used to people having a dig at my parents. Snape, Voldemort, Umbridge, people like that. Not my dad's best friend."

Ginny pulled him close and hugged him. Then, a patronus appeared.

"Balls."

"Your dad wants us. Come on."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

They all gathered in Mr Weasley's office.

"Now what?" Atris asked.

Mr Weasley wasn't listening. Mrs Weasley had just broken the news.

"Oh no, not MacWeasley."

He pulled himself together and turned to the Order.

"What's wrong Harry dear?" Mrs Weasley asked, sitting down.

"Sirius probably." Daraala said as he entered.

"What's wrong Arthur?" Atris asked.

"What are you doing here?" Sprout asked in concern.

"I work here." Atris said defiantly.

"You should be on sick leave." Mr Weasley said.

"Yeah, if we had the chance to go off work, we'd take it with both hands." Fred said.

Then, Kale appeared. He looked most annoyed, and his legs were indeed tree stumps.

"Atris!"

"Whoops, I forgot."

Atris lifted the charm.

"What do you think you're playing at? You're ill! Go home and rest! Don't come into work!"

Atris bristled.

"I will not be treated like a child! I don't want to sit in the house all day and vegetate! I want to do something!"

Brisha entered at that moment.

"Atris, what are you doing here? You're supposed to be resting. I'm quite capable of leading Intelligence in your absence."

Atris scowled.

"Stop mollycoddling me!"

Harry shook his head. She was reminding him of someone else who hated being blackmailed and not doing anything.

"Atris, I know. But we're doing to you what they always tried to do to me. They're trying to protect you. So let them!"

Silence met these words, in which Atris grumbled under her breath.

"Now, this is why we're all here. Brisha?"

Brisha dimmed the lights with her wand. It was a very odd wand. It had a large vine wrapped around it, that ended in several knots. Seemingly, according to her at least, it was a symbol from ancient Greece. She then flicked her wand at the TV.

A man, standing in front of a surgical lab in the middle of the sea, was speaking.

"Hold on, that's Dawlish!" George shouted.

Dawlish was Dolores Umbridge, the vicious dictator who had tortured Harry and taken over during the war, loyal deputy.

He was speaking.

"The war against Lord Voldemort is over. However, now, we face a new threat. A pox within our very society. Muggle-borns. These people pollute our society, undermining our values. These people only gained magic by chance. They have no business having magic. It belongs only to those of us of wizarding descent. So, it is with great pleasure, that I announce to those of you who are scared of these thieves and plunderers, that there is a solution. A cure. My friends, Dawlish Laboratories is pleased to announce that my scientists have been working since the war ended, to stop the threat of muggle-borns. My scientists have developed a way to stop magic surfacing in muggle-borns. So, please muggle-borns, for the good of the world you have thrown yourselves into, please come and be treated. Help us stop this before it gets ugly. Come to us, accept the cure, and prevent the world you entered through deceit and treachery from being thrown back into conflict."

"Well, what do you think of that then?" Mr Weasley asked.

Harry looked at Hermione. She was angrier than he had ever seen her, even when she had been Phoenix.

"A pox on society are we?" she demanded furiously.

Justin Finch Fletchey was angry too.

"Thieves and plunderers?"

"Deceitful and treacherous?" Colin Creevy demanded.

"Charming fellow." Slughorn said.

Hermione was on the edge of tears. Ron pulled her close to him and rubbed her back.

"What are we going to do about it? We cant let them get away with it." Said Charlie's wife Ekria.

"We won't let them." Harry said, squeezing Hermione's hand, which was shaking in anger.

"Very true. However, Dawlish knows what he's doing." Mr Weasley said.

"I thought he was in Azkaban?" Bill asked.

"Seemingly, dear old Umbridge left him a large amount in her will, seeing as he was the most loyal of her supporters and above all that, really the only one left at the time of her death. He used the money to get himself out of prison, then set up this company to research medicine. And now we see what sort of medicine it is."

"What can we do about it?" Grubbly-Plank, who had joined the Order, asked.

"Send the Fearsome Foursome to pay a visit I think." Brisha said with a smile.

Harry rolled his eyes.

"Oh, alright. But only to keep Hermione happy." Ron said.

Hermione smiled feebly.

Sirius sat forward.

"You don't have the authority to send them…"

"Oh yes I do. I'm the Minister for Magic, so I can do pretty much whatever I damn well please. And that includes stuck up arseholes who are members of staff and who upset my son in law. So, if you want to keep your job Sirius, fix your attitude."

Sirius went quiet.

"Good. Now, Atris, go home and rest! Brisha is quite capable."

Atris fumed, but agreed.

"Rita, how long can you sit on this?"

Rita smiled grimly.

"No time."

"How not?"

"One of my reporters found out about it this morning. Even now people will be reading about it."

Mr Weasley rolled his eyes.

"Bugger."

He sighed.

"Right, we all have jobs to do. Now get to them! And Atris…"

Everyone turned to her in unison.

"Go home!"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

As predicted, the people were furious. Protestors lined up outside and inside the Ministry, denouncing the Cure. Riots broke out across the country, keeping Daraala and her team on their toes as they tried to sort it out. Violence was common place, as muggle-borns, and their supporters, showed their displeasure through very verbal means indeed. However, a small percentage of the population wanted the Cure. Donations from people who wanted rid of muggle-borns flooded Dawlish Laboratories. Outrage spread, and people demanded that the Ministry do something. Mr Weasley went to the press and publicly announced that he was disgusted by the entire idea of the thing. However, as Dawlish Labs had technically done nothing wrong, at least not yet, the Ministry couldn't act. And this made people even angrier.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny arrived in Edinburgh, at South Queensferry. Above them was the red Forth Rail Bridge, and along the shore was the Forth Road Bridge, where they had fought Idalma the previous year. And then they saw it. The blocky white building on the island to the right of the rail bridge. Dawlish Labs. The place that had invented the Cure. They could see several people at the perimeter fence, shouting abuse and sporting signs. Muggles walking past took little notice, probably thinking they were protesting about the island being used for something rather than looking pretty.

"Come on." Harry said, and he Disapparated over the water to the island.

The lab had been set up on top of Inchgarvie island, on top of the mound of rock. Harry used the Auror's clearance to pass the security guards, ignoring the jibes of the protestors, then led the way up to the white building.

They entered the lab, and silence pressed on their ears. The room was brilliant white, hurting their eyes. A small woman typist was at a desk, drafting a report.

"You cant be in here!" she squeaked.

Harry grinned evilly.

"We've been sent by the Minister for Magic to investigate this place for illegal operations." He said.

"Do you have a warrant?" she asked, though she made a subtle movement to the guard who had followed them in to get him ready.

"Yes. And if you don't want your charming friend beaten up, call him off." Ginny said sweetly.

The woman nodded, and the man desisted. Ron showed her the warrant. She accepted it grudgingly.

"We want to see Dawlish." Hermione said in an angry voice.

The woman smiled.

"I'm afraid Mister Dawlish is not here."

Hermione snarled, and Ron squeezed her shoulder to calm her down. She never normally got this riled about being discriminated against.

"Well, you'll have to do. Show us around please." Harry said.

The woman looked to the guard, who nodded discreetly.

"Very well."

She took them through a door. A series of glass fronted rooms were on either side of them as they walked up the corridor, doctors and scientists working inside, perfecting strains of DNA, new medicines, and working on the Cure.

"There are three levels, this is level one. People here are working on cures for things like dragon pox and other such diseases. They're also trying to find out how to stop diseases spreading through the bloodstream."

"Fascinating." Hermione said dryly.

The woman led them up a flight of stairs.

"This is level two. We work here to produce items that can be used to help improve the lives of wizards across the globe."

"How do you mean?" Harry asked.

"Like weapons, I assume." Hermione answered waspishly.

The woman glowered, but did not retaliate. She then led them through another corridor of glass plated rooms, up the stairs and onto the next floor. This level was different. Rather than just one surgically white corridor with glass rooms going up and a flight of stairs at the end, this floor was a large circular affair, with only three doors. Two were small offices and sleeping quarters. The rest was one large, semi circular room, which was obviously where the cure had been developed. The group had come up into the room, and now a flight of stairs led further upwards. Hermione snarled. This was the floor that the Cure had been produced on.

"What's upstairs?" Ron asked.

"Offices. Down here are sleeping quarters for the scientists, as they rarely leave, they're son enthralled in their work. And of course, the main lab."

"Where they made a Cure for being muggle-born!" Hermione snapped.

"Yes." The woman said gloatingly.

Ron gently tugged Hermione away, as the woman began to recount the history of what had been done on that floor.

"What's wrong? You never normally get this steamed up about it."

Hermione fumed.

"It's just so unfair! We fought during the war! We fought and died just like everyone else! People like Justin, Colin, Dennis and me fought in the final battle! I even killed Lumiya, and Snape, to protect this world! And they repay muggle-borns, who shed their blood to try and get a better future, just like half bloods and pure bloods, by trying to get rid of them! Where's the justice in that?"

Ron pulled her towards him and hugged her.

"I know its not fair. And I promise, we're going to stop it. If it weren't for you, we'd probably still be fighting or be dead. You saved Harry, me and Ginny more than once."

Hermione smiled grimly.

"And killed everyone else once as well."

"That wasn't you either. And as I see it, they owe you for helping Harry destroy Phoenix, and wipe out a large bit of Voldemort's army."

Hermione sniffed.

"You created Operation Shadow Hand."

"Yes, but at the Battle of Earth, who was the one who transformed into a massive phoenix and cremate most of Voldemort's ranks?"

Hermione smiled. Ron kissed her.

"Come on. Let's find out what little miss important has to say for herself now."

"So, what else are you making in here, except the Cure?" Ginny asked.

"Nothing that someone like you would be able to understand." The woman said snidely.

"Watch who you're talking to." Harry snarled.

Ginny clasped his arm and held him back.

"So what are you making?" Ron demanded.

"None of your business. I assume you would like to see the Cure?"

Harry nodded curtly.

"And perhaps use it?"

Ron shot forwards: his resolve had finally cracked. He wasn't going to let anyone bully Hermione. Ginny held out her arm to hold him back.

"Calm down!" she snapped.

"It's not worth it." Hermione said quietly.

"But…"

He took a look at the miserable look on Hermione's face, and pulled her close to him.

"Very wise. This way."

They entered the lab. Two men in silver armour stood guard over a large, bulky man, who was engrossed in his work.

"Doctor." The woman said.

The man looked up. He was a tall, bulky man, with brown hair, and grey eyes. He smiled.

"Ah, more people eager to learn. Please, come in!"

He brought them inside.

"I am Doctor Akryt. Pleased to meet you all."

He showed them further in.

"This is where we make the Cure. You see, we isolate the cells inside a muggle-borns bloodstream, and then use the chemicals inside the Cure to destroy them, thus blinding them to magic."

"Very clever." Ginny said, impressed despite herself.

"Thank you!"

"Don't encourage it Ginny." Ron snapped, looking at the disgusted look on Hermione's face.

"I'm sorry. I just do as I am told. I greatly fiddling about with DNA and chemicals and the such like, but if I'm told to make something, I do it, I don't faf about not following orders. I just get it done. But I do have enormous fun into the bargain."

"So, you think muggle-borns should be cured do you?" Harry asked.

"No. I hold no ill will towards muggle-borns. However, Mr Dawlish wished me to make something that would blind muggle-borns to magic, and I did so."

Hermione was looking at the Cure. It was a slight lilac colour. Funny, that a thing that looked like perfume could be the cause of a virtual rebellion.

"Amazing work, isn't it?" Akryt asked.

He was certainly enthused with his work.

"It is really." Harry said quietly.

Hermione's eye was drawn to the test tube beside the Cure.

"What's that?" she asked.

It was a green substance, a sort of thick watery goo.

Akryt looked at it.

"Don't have a clue. I was whipping up some copper carbonate and I put in the wrong chemical. Who knows what it is now."

Harry leaned towards Akryt.

"I know you're only doing this because you've been told to, but if you come anywhere near Hermione with that Cure of yours, you'll have us to answer to."

Akryt looked worried.

"And we've fought in the war, and killed Death Eaters. A doctor wouldn't be that hard." Ron said.

"So tread carefully." Ginny warned.

Akryt took a step back, and knocked the green test tube to the floor.

"Oh, I'm so sorry!"

He bent down to pick it up. He then stood up, tipping the glass shards into the bucket.

"I understand your concerns Mr Potter, and I assure you, I will endeavour not to go anywhere near your friend."

Harry nodded.

"Thanks."

"Quite alright. I'm always willing to show people my work. Thank you for coming, and for being so interested in what I'm doing. I'm planning a counter now, so we'll be able to cure muggles and make them wizards!" Akryt said excitedly.

"Then good luck doctor." Ron said.

Akryt nodded his thanks and stretched out his hand. Harry shook, then gasped.

"Ow!"

"Oh, I'm so sorry! So silly of me, I never washed my hands! I apologise! You've probably just got a bit of glass stuck in your finger, give it a wash and it'll be fine."

Harry examined his bleeding finger.

"It's alright."

Akryt shook hands with the other three, then went back to his work after saying goodbye.

"Cheerful guy." Ron said as he Disapparated.

"You alright?" Ginny asked as Hermione followed her husband.

"Yeah. It was just sore that's all."

Ginny took one last look at the cut on her husband's finger. It was still bleeding. And a little drop of green seeped out. Disregarding this, she Disapparated.

Harry looked at the cut. It throbbed and bled still as he Disapparated.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Akryt smiled.

**So, now we've met the man behind the Cure. Why is he smiling? All will be revealed soon, including the reason Sirius is being a jerk. Stay tuned!**


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

Struck Down

Hermione's bad mood persisted all the way through the dinner of mince that Ron had cooked. The four of them took turns, though Hermione would insist on giving them salad. Harry stabbed his potato. He didn't feel right. And that cut on his finger was sore. He had stitched it back together with magic, but it had come apart once again. As Ron and Ginny cleared away the dishes, he showed the cut to Hermione.

"You don't reckon there's some glass in my finger do you? That would explain why its coming apart all the time." He said.

Hermione held it up to the light.

"It looks fine. Stick a plaster on it and see if that helps."

Ginny sat down to do some paperwork after tea, and filled in a requisition form with much swearing: she hated them. Hermione did the ironing, Ron watched TV, and Harry did the crossword (he intended to beat Hermione at them). All the way through, he had a funny feeling in his stomach, and he was steadily getting hotter. Ginny finished her paperwork, and she snuggled up beside him. He dozed into a fitful sleep, and started moaning. Ginny prodded him awake, concern in her eyes.

"What's wrong?"

Harry shook his head, which was now beating.

"I don't feel well."

Hermione looked up from her ironing, mid way through ironing one of Ron's sets of robes.

"You look awfully pale Harry." She said in concern.

Ron looked up from watching Fawlty towers on UKTV Gold.

"She's right mate, you don't look…hey!"

A smell of burning met their noses as Hermione shrieked. She had left the iron on top of the robes and had now burnt a large hole in them.

"Whoops!"

"Oh that's great that look. I'm sure it will catch on!" Harry said.

"I thought you were ill?" Ron demanded as he examined his robes.

"A brand new fashion. Didn't know he had it in him." Ginny said.

"Thank you for that!" Ron snarled.

Hermione smiled guiltily. Ron looked at the iron shaped hole on the front of his robes.

"Oh dear." Hermione said.

Harry shook his head. His headache was getting worse.

"You look bad mate." Ron said.

"Go to bed sweetheart." Ginny ordered.

"I…"

"No buts! Go to bed!" Hermione ordered.

Muttering grumpily, he got up and headed for the stairs. Hermione picked up her washing and followed.

Harry suddenly felt worse than ever. The blood rushed to his head, he immediately got hot, his headache came on worse than ever, and terrible pains shot through his stomach. He slowly made his way to the stairs and started to climb.

"Hurry up you, I don't want to miss Stargate." Hermione moaned.

And then Harry, suddenly swayed and collapsed.

"Harry!"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Ginny watched her husband as he jerked about in his sleep.

"He never gets ill. What's wrong with him?" she asked.

"I don't know. He just collapsed on the stairs. He looks very pale."

"Should I get Madam Pomfrey?" Ron asked.

"Hold on a little while before we go and get her. We don't want your mother finding out Harry's ill." Hermione counselled.

Harry jerked again, this time more violently than before. Ginny took his temperature. "He's over forty degrees! He's boiling up!"

He was moaning now, clutching his stomach.

"What's wrong with him?" Ron asked in concern.

Harry yelled in pain, and held his stomach.

"I don't know but I'm calling Madam Pomfrey." Ginny said.

She turned her wand to the door.

"_Expecto Patronum_!"

Her patronus shot through the door and away. A minute later, Madam Pomfrey's bee patronus shot back through the door with the news that she was en route. A minute later she blazed out of the fire.

"I might have guessed it was him again." She said sardonically, then set about inspecting her patient.

"What's wrong with him?" Ginny demanded.

Harry retched. Madam Pomfrey conjured a bucket that caught the sick before going back to her work.

"I cant say. It's almost as if, but no."

She went back to her work.

"Sickness, hallucinations, headaches, stomach cramps, pale, high temperature, wasting skin…"

"What!?"

Madam Pomfrey turned to Ginny.

"You mean you haven't noticed? Look, see."

She pointed as his neck, where his skin had started to recede so that he had folds.

"Whatever he has its wasting him away. Let me get on with my diagnosis."

Harry suddenly screamed, making them all jump. He started to moan and groan, and thrash about.

"Blast!" Madam Pomfrey hissed.

She started muttering to herself, as Harry cringed in pain, then started to shiver. He then held his head in his hands and screamed again.

"What's going on!?" Ginny demanded hysterically.

Madam Pomfrey was waving her wand up and down over Harry, muttering strangely. Then her eye caught on the cut on his finger. She pulled it up and tapped it with her wand. It healed, then split apart again. A horrible look f dawning comprehension was on her face. She pulled Harry's fingers so that they closed, and then blood poured out from the lines in his fingers. His skin was breaking up.

"Oh no."

She looked horrified.

"What's wrong with my husband!?" Ginny demanded.

Hermione looked at the notes Madam Pomfrey had scribbled and a look of comprehension came onto her face too.

"Oh no. No no no. It cant be."

They all went outside Harry and Ginny's room.

"You figured it out?" Madam Pomfrey asked quietly.

"Yes." Hermione said tearfully.

Madam Pomfrey turned to the other two.

"Do you know what Sorocine is?"

Ginny nodded.

"It's something that Grindewald used when he was around. It's a massive weapon to use. It can destroy…"

She faded away and looked terrified.

"What's going on?" Ron asked.

"You never were quick on the uptake Ron. Sorocine is a poison. Grindewald used it when he was powerful. It can be melded into weapon's to create a wizard equivalent of the atomic bomb. Grindewald used it when he wanted to flatten people who opposed him utterly. It was a terrible thing to use. Even Voldemort didn't. It could be used to kill one person, very slowly and carefully, and cause a lot of pain when it does so, or can be used as a massive weapon to kill loads of people at once."

Ron went pale.

"You mean…?"

"Yes. It hasn't been seen in about fifty years, not since Dumbledore defeated Grindewald. The world's Ministries decided it was too dangerous and destroyed all records of how to make it. But just before they were all burned, one was stolen. They never found it again. And now, it's reappeared, inside Harry."

"But how? It's been missing for fifty years, how can it suddenly reappear?" Hermione asked hysterically.

Ginny sniffed.

"You're wrong."

Madam Pomfrey looked at her in deep sympathy.

"I know Ginny, but there's nothing else it could be I'm afraid."

"I know! I know Harry's been infected by Sorocine and that he'll probably die!"

"Ginny!" Ron shouted in dismay.

"I went through hell and back to get him, and the same goes for him. Why does this stuff always happen to us?" she demanded.

Ron pulled his sister into a hug. It showed how upset she was by the fact that she didn't try to fight him off.

"Why does the bad stuff always happen to us or the people we care about?" Ginny asked softly.

"I know sis." Ron said.

"What was I wrong about Ginny?"

"Sorocine. It's been used since Grindewald used it. That's what Dumbledore drunk the night he died."

Silence met these words. They were all startled when Harry screamed in pain. Ginny looked desperate, but Madam Pomfrey stopped her going through.

"You might be right."

"And if she is, Harry will be alright!" Hermione said brightly.

"How?" Ron asked.

"Slughorn and Sprout found it and made an antidote." Hermione said carelessly.

"Did they?"

"Yes." Ginny said in a bored voice.

"When?"

"Honestly, did you listen to anything during the war?" Madam Pomfrey asked.

Ron soured.

"Yes I did." He snapped.

"It's not his fault Madam Pomfrey. Remember, it was me who ordered it when I took over after the Battle of Hogsmeade."

Madam Pomfrey blushed.

"Sorry Ron."

"That's alright. So, did they make one?"

"Yes. But it didn't work when we needed it." Ginny said.

"That's because Dumbledore was already dead." Ron said impatiently.

"No, she's right. It was used at the Battle of Hogwarts and the Battle of Earth. We never noticed much as Harry was too busy trying to kill Voldemort, Ginny was murdering Bella, you were attacking Malfoy and I was fixing Lumiya."

"Is that was the green haze was? I thought that was the merpeople."

"So did we at first, until we saw some of the reasons. The poor souls who died because of it had to be really in the way of it, because all the soot and dirt in the air diluted it."

"Damn."

"but how did he get it? So, the notes were stolen fifty years ago, right?" Ginny asked.

"Yes. And we can make a guess as to who stole them." Hermione said.

"Voldemort." Ron supplied.

"Obviously. But how did Harry get it? It's effects were always quick, the same day they happened normally. So where did he get it from? Unless you went anywhere near Borgin and Burkes?" Madam Pomfrey put out.

"No. Sirius might have done it the way he's been acting recently." Ron said.

"No. He's been an idiot, but he wouldn't poison Harry. He loves him. He just isn't showing it much at the moment. And I think it's getting to Harry too." Ginny said.

"This is off topic. Who could have poisoned Harry?"

There was a scream, and Hermione and Ginny rushed inside. Harry was shaking and moaning, and he began to retch. Hermione conjured a bin to catch it, and then looked him over in dismay. Ginny rubbed his head, and looked up for support. She wasn't getting any from Hermione.

She was looking at Harry in horror.

"Oh she knows!" Madam Pomfrey said happily.

"I hate it when she does that. I'll have to listen to her tell me how she deduced it all night now!"

"Akryt!" Hermione breathed in wonder.

"Akryt? The doctor?" Ron asked.

"Ginny, do you remember what colour Sorocine is?"

"Yeah, it's green!" she said in a voice of awe.

"Ron come here." Hermione ordered.

He did as he was told.

"Hold out your arm."

"I don't have a Dark Mark."

"Ron! Your best friend is dying and you're making stupid jokes! Do you as you're bloody told!" Hermione yelled.

"Alright, alright!"

He did so, and Hermione took it.

"How do you do?" Ron asked.

"Shut up!"

She forced her palm into his fingers.

"It _was_ him!"

"What do you mean?" Ginny snarled.

"Akryt knocked over that tube remember? The green stuff that he said he didn't know how he made?"

"Yeah."

"He did know how he made it. It was the Sorocine. He knocked it over on purpose, and then used the glass fragment to poison Harry."

Ginny went scarlet with rage.

"He did what?"

Ron closed his eyes to help remember what happened.

"He did it on purpose. He stuck that shard into Harry to poison him. He knew full well what he was doing."

Ginny snarled like a lion. She took Harry's hand and examined it.

"What do we do?" she asked, her voice betraying her.

She was on the verge of tears.

Madam Pomfrey looked hopelessly at Harry.

"I don't know. I'm sorry Ginny, but I don't know. Sorocine has no known vaccination."

Ginny finally succumbed to tears. Ron wrapped her in a hug, and it was a sign of how upset she was that she didn't force him away.

"Unless…" Hermione began.

"What?" Ron asked.

He was pale, and looked to be on the edge of tears himself. No one could get away with harming is best friend, or his little sister.

"Maybe Akryt has the cure to it."

Ginny nodded.

"He must have. Sorocine a highly volatile substance, and accidents happen in a lab. He'd need to keep it around in case of accidents."

Madam Pomfrey sighed and took out her wand.

"No don't!" Hermione shouted.

"We need them all. Just in case." Madam Pomfrey said sadly.

Ginny whimpered.

"_Expecto Patronum_!"

Her bee flew outwards.

"I still don't understand Sorocine. How can we be sure, I mean I know it looks that way, but how can we be sure Akryt did it on purpose?" Ron asked.

Hermione sighed.

"Sorocine is thick, and heavy. When that tube hit the floor, anything left on the shards should have dropped down, because of its weight. Gravity would of got hold of it. It should have all dropped off. And because of it being thick, it would have caught on Harry's skin rather than go into his body. The only way for it to get in was for it to be absorbed all ready. It was in the glass that Akryt stuck into him."

Ron sighed.

"So, what do we do?"

Ginny snarled.

"What do you think?"

Ron rolled his eyes.

"We need to find Akryt's family."

"Whatever for?" Madam Pomfrey asked in surprise.

"To send flowers. Last time Ginny got this mad, an entire species got wiped out."

"Oh dear."

The fire blazed and McGonagall arrived in the grate.

"What's happening?" she demanded.

But before she could get out, the fire blazed again, and Mrs Weasley rushed out, looking hysterical, leaving a flattened McGonagall behind her.

"What's wrong with Harry?" Mrs Weasley asked hysterically, and hugging the three Aurors to her.

"Long story mum." Ginny said quietly.

McGonagall groaned and started to move, when Flitwick, Sprout, Slughorn, Trelawney, Tonks and everyone else who was in the Order at Hogwarts arrived, utterly flattening poor McGonagall.

"Minerva." Madam Pomfrey said kindly and pulled the other woman out of the fire.

"What's wrong with Harry?" Tonks demanded.

"We'll tell you when everyone arrives." Hermione answered.

"He looks terrible." Slughorn commented.

The fire blazed once more, and Daraala stepped out, looking terrified.

"What's wrong? What's happening?" she asked as she shot to the bed.

The fire blazed, and the twins, Mr Weasley, Bill, Fleur, Charlie and Ekria arrived.

"What's up?" Fred asked.

"You said Harry was dying." George said worriedly.

They were very protective of Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny, though they wouldn't admit it.

"Are you alright Ginny, Molly?" Mr Weasley asked, hugging his wife.

"Sorocine." Bill said in disgust.

"How do you know?" Hermione asked.

"Because some damn fool drunk it when I was a curse breaker. Killed him."

"What's Sorocine?" Fleur asked.

"Nasty stuff." Charlie answered.

Atris staggered out of the fire, Kale looking distressed behind her.

"Now what?" Kale asked.

"Harry." Atris sighed in pain.

Lupin arrived with the rest of the Ministry workers, looking worried and tired. The full moon was approaching.

"What's wrong with Harry?" he demanded as he kissed Tonks on the cheek.

Sirius, the last to arrive, suddenly appeared.

"What's wrong with Harry? What's wrong with my godson?"

Ginny, who had been furious with him ever since he upset Harry, rounded on him, as did Mrs Weasley, but Daraala got there first.

"Your godson!? You haven't been treating him like much of a godson recently! You've been treating him like dirt. You've been treating us all like dirt, even me. And we're all fed up of it! Harry only did what the rest of us wanted to do! Ever since Idalma came along you've been an arrogant, bad tempered, foul old git, and we've had enough. So, don't you dare, come here, and pretend like you care when you haven't so much as said good morning or how are you to him in the last year!"

Daraala finished her rant, breathing heavily. Sirius looked mortified.

"Daraala., now's not the time." Lupin said.

"No, she's right Remus. I've been an idiot. Ever since Idalma came along and wrecked the joint, I've not been myself. It was just seeing, seeing everything go back to the state of fear we had during the war, and the mass murders for just one person, it was scary. And seeing Daraala scared scared me."

Daraala softened, just a bit.

"You've still been an idiot."

"I know, and I'll make it up to all of you. But Harry needs help."

They all turned to Ginny and the others.

"Doctor Akryt infected Harry with Sorocine." Ginny said sadly.

"How?" Sirius asked huskily.

"By stabbing him in the hand." Ron snarled viciously.

"He tried to murder my son in law?" Mrs Weasley asked, her eyes flashing dangerously.

"No, he hasn't tried. He has murdered him, all we're waiting for is for it to work." Bill corrected.

"Bill!" Ginny shrieked.

"Sorry sis, but we have to be realistic."

Ginny dissolved into tears, one of the rare occasions she did so. Fred went over and hugged her.

"It's not over until it's over." Tonks said boldly.

Mr Weasley looked at her, a small smile on his face.

"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

"I think she must be. After all, Akryt has to have a cure in case of accidents. And now that he's attempted to murder Harry…" McGonagall began.

"We have incentive to go in." Bagman said happily.

"Brilliant!" Hermione said savagely.

"Hold on." Rosmerta said.

"What?" Fleur asked.

"She has a point. Why does Akryt have Sorocine in the first place?" Kale asked.

"Does it really matter? My husband is dying here!" Ginny yelled.

"It matters. Because if he made it on purpose, as we think, he could be trying to use it for a weapon." Charlie said.

"And we don't need you infected too." Ekria pointed out.

"So, why do they have Sorocine?" Zacharias Smith asked.

He worked for Intelligence, but he was still a git.

Realisation came onto Rita's face.

"Dawlish!"

"what?" Angelina asked.

"Dawlish runs Dawlish Labs."

Togga clapped sarcastically.

"Well done! Now onto the two hundred pound question."

"Shoosh!" Dobby ordered.

"Dawlish was Umbridge's right hand man. And we know what she was like."

Firenze gasped.

"Of course!"

"You see it?" Rita asked.

"The old plan. It's so simple, so brilliant, no one would notice until it was too late."

"And with the way the races have been at each others throats recently, it would be easy." Lupin said.

"What do you mean?" Tonks asked.

"Umbridge's racism." Ron said slowly.

"Exactly. After her little adventure in the Forest, she feared centaurs as much as werewolves." Lupin said.

"So?" Justin asked.

"Don't you see? Let me explain then. The centaurs and the werewolves at the moment are at breaking point. They're determined that the other side is more at fault, because of the murder of the herd last year when Idalma was around. They're at each others throats. So, along comes Dawlish, blabbing on about the Cure. The rest of the people get so focused on what the muggle borns are doing, no one notices the other races. Akryt makes the Sorocine, and someone fires it into the werewolves. The centaurs, because of their mystique, are automatically suspected, because they know a lot about potions and the such like, and they want revenge for what Idalma did. So, the werewolves, in retaliation, declare war on the centaurs. A massive race war breaks out, and by the time we realise what's happened, its too late and the first salvos have been fired. It would be too late to negotiate and the war will have started. A war that would end one way or the other: with either the destruction of the werewolves, or the destruction of the centaurs. Then, Akryt, on Dawlish's orders, creates a disease that will affect only the victors and wipe the rest of them out. Meanwhile, the Ministry would be powerless as we wouldn't know what was causing the genocide. Then, with the two main races gone, it would only be a matter of time until the rest went with them." Lupin explained.

Silence met these words. Firenze pointed to Dobby.

"With us and the werewolves out the way, it would only be the house elves, goblins and such things left over. House elves have never really stood up for themselves, and would disappear unnoticed. The giants are still to few in number, even with us helping them rebuild their society, and wouldn't require much effort. The hags, ogres and goblins would soon follow, as would the others. Total destruction of all species barring humans."

"Very clever from where I'm standing." Sirius said.

"So, now we know. Can we go and kill Akryt now?" Ginny demanded angrily.

Mr Weasley smiled.

"There is work to be done."

He turned to Rita.

"How long can you keep it quiet?"

"A day or two."

"Then do so."

Rita Disapparated, and Mr Weasley turned to Kale.

"Block all access to the island. You know the drill."

"Of course."

Kale gave them a sharp salute, winked at Atris, then vanished. Mr Weasley looked to Atris.

"Atris, just this once, I want you to go into work."

Atris beamed in delight.

"For what?"

"Get the file on Akryt, and the cronies he has in the lab. We need to know what we're dealing with."

Atris vanished.

Mr Weasley turned to his next targets.

"Remus, Grawp, Firenze, Dobby, I want you to delegate the rest of your tasks to someone else. Unless you want to miss getting your hands dirty?"

"Of course not." Firenze said, scandalised, and disappeared at once, the others following.

"The same goes for you two." Mr Weasley said, talking to Ronan and Togga.

McGonagall turned to Tonks.

"Tonks, go to Hogwarts, and inform Charity that she's in charge."

"With pleasure."

Mr Weasley looked at Sirius and Daraala.

"Of course." They said, and disappeared.

"Now, I think that's everything."

"Wait! Who'll run the Ministry?" Bagman asked.

"Oh, I forgot."

"Doesn't Intelligence get it?" Zacharias asked.

"He's right." Ernie said.

"Well, there you are then. Ludo, go to Brisha and tell her she's in charge until further notice."

"My, I quite like this approach in you dad." Bill said cheekily.

"Your father and I haven't got our hands dirty since we bumped off the Malfoys. Time to fix that." Mrs Weasley snarled.

"No one tries to murder someone in our family and gets away with it."

"Look what happened to Demagoth and Drakul." Sprout said happily.

Ten minutes later, they were all ready.

"Atris, Madam Pomfrey, stay and watch after Harry. I'd do it myself but…" Ginny said.

"We know." Atris said wheezily.

"She has to do this." Hermione said.

"Damn right. No one interferes with us Weasleys." Fred said.

"Or my best Seeker!" McGonagall crowed.

"Thanks!" Charlie shouted.

"Whoops."

"Time to get our hands dirty again." Tonks said happily.

"Can we please get a move on and stop the grandeur before Harry does die?" Sirius asked.

Ginny snarled.

"Look out Akryt, I'm coming to get you."


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter**

Chapter Four

Dissention and Distrust

Ministry boats, created after the Battle of Earth, patrolled around the island where the lab was situated. The Order apparated onto the island, wands drawn. The entire Order was there, yet another showing of how loyal they were to Harry, willing to fight for his life, when he wasn't even there to watch them doing it. Ginny was furious. Nobody got away with trying to kill her husband. Look what happened to Voldemort, Bella and Snape. Hermione and Ron were going with her to deal with Sirius, while the fifty nine other Order members engaged the security forces at various points throughout the facility. Ginny, Mr Weasley, Sirius and Kale all had warrants to legalise their presence there. A large gate barred their way.

"No gate's going to stop us." Fred said.

"My feelings exactly brother mine." George said.

Angelina produced a box of fireworks.

"This do?"

"Thank you my dear." Fred said, and he lit the fuse on six.

"I like the way she thinks brother dear." George agreed, lighting six of his own.

The fireworks blasted open the gates with a bang, and they all stormed through the debris, an enraged Weasley clan, plus Hermione, at the fore. Security wizards came running to meet them.

"We'll handle this." Daraala said.

Daraala, Susan, Anthony, Oliver, Cho and Colin broke off, and started to duel with the guards. The others pressed ahead, coming towards the white lab, and the massive doors that separated them from Akryt. Ginny, fury in her eyes, levelled her wand at the doors.

"_Bombarda Maxima_!"

The doors were disintegrated with the force of the spell, and the loving fury behind tit. They wouldn't get away with poisoning Harry. More guards came rushing at them.

"Our turn." Ernie said.

He, Hannah, Seamus, Parvati, Justin and Padma rushed forward to duel with the guards, as Mrs Weasley forced her way through into the reception area. The woman who had shown the foursome around before was sitting at her desk, looking terrified, but angry. Ginny and Ron turned smiling to each other, as they had seen the murderous look on Mrs Weasley's face.

"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" Ron asked.

"That woman was incredibly annoying last time we came through here." Ginny said.

"Do mine ears deceive me? My dear siblings aren't goping to do something nasty are they?" Fred asked innocently.

"Darling if you will." Ron said to Hermione.

"With pleasure. _Confundo_."

The charm hit the woman, and she looked up, under Hermione's control.

"Who are these pigs?"

Mrs Weasley looked like a wild beast.

"Oh, they make us so proud." Charlie said happily.

"Didn't know they had it in them." Bill agreed.

"Oh brother mine, I have tears in my eyes, we taught them so well!" Fred said in glee.

"I agree bro. Taught them properly. See, I told you we were right to let Harry and Hermione into the family. Hermione fits right in." George said.

"A complete Weasley bitch." They said in unison.

Hermione blushed with pleasure.

"What did you say to me?" Mrs Weasley demanded.

"That wasn't wise." Mr Weasley said in a sing song voice.

"What did you say to me?"

"Shouldn't have done that!" Ekria yelled.

"What did you say to me?"

"Now you're in for it!" Ron shouted happily.

"Then call me Miss Piggy! AHHHH!"

Mrs Weasley sprang over the desk and attacked the witch.

"I love watching her when she does that." Mr Weasley said wistfully.

More security guards came running at them.

"Our turn." McGonagall said.

She, and the rest of the Hogwarts staff broke off and engaged the guards, allowing the others to proceed. They had just crossed the reception area, Mrs Weasley's fist and the teacher's spells flying behind them, when a door opened, revealing Dawlish, and two guards.

"What's the meaning of this?" he demanded.

"Go on!" Mr Weasley shouted, as he, Lupin, Grawp, Dobby and Firenze surged forward to deal with the intrusion.

"Dawlish, this is a Ministry operation. Stand down, or be fired upon." Mr Weasley shouted.

"To hell with you!"

The two men started to duel, spells flaring between them. Ginny blasted open the next door, and headed for the first set of labs. Scientists were very determined to protect their work, as they saw when they entered. Spells flew from their wands, and combined with the security guards in here, they made quite a force to be reckoned with.

"Don't stop! Keep going on!" Sirius shouted, as he led the remaining Aurors, along with Rita, Luna, Rosmerta and Bagman against them.

"Just what we need, mad scientists." Hermione complained as she hexed one off the stairs.

Spells were flying back and forth, and they were surrounded by screams of pain, loss and terror, as the Order attacked the scientists. Ginny, Ron and Hermione slowly led the way up the stairs, their spells blasting scientists and guards out of the way as they tried to stop them. They had reached the second floor at last, but the hardest part was yet to come. Hearing what was happening, they had time to formulate a defence. Tables and workbenches had been set up to create barriers, from which the scientists and their guards could attack the Order with ease.

"Damn." Ginny snapped, as they appeared over their barriers and started firing.

"_Protego Maxima_!" Zacharias yelled.

The shield knocked the spells away from the Order, and shattered windows, some going further in and smashing apart vials, or setting alight complicated charts. The scientists roared in fury, and rushed over the top of the barriers to attack them, the guards looking vaguely put out as they followed.

"Good charm Smith." George said appreciatively, as he fired at the horde.

"Thanks!" Zacharias said.

The corridor exploded into spell fire as spells criss crossed back and forth as the guards and their charges leapt at the Order.

"Oh for heaven's sake! We don't have time for this!" Ginny snarled as she fired a round of stunners at the enemy.

"Then do something about it then!" Fleur yelled.

She was firing fireballs from one hand, and spells from another. The fight was quickly going to turn into a brawl.

"Don't just stand there Ginny!" Hermione snarled, shoving her.

"What do you want her to do?" Charlie asked.

"For god's sake! They're Animagi! Transform!" Ronan yelled as he kicked a man flying.

"Of course!" Ron and Ginny said together, the dog and owl then taking their place.

Hermione shook her head and transformed into a cat and leapt over the fray, swiping at a man's leg as she did so. Ron leapt over, biting a man where it counted, and knocking several others over, and Ginny pecked those who got in her way. They turned back at the other side of the barriers, and Ginny pointed her wand at the bollards.

"_Reducto_!"

Four men were blown out of the way, and the bollards were reduced to dust. Without cover, the group opposing the Order had to ban together to try and delay the Order. The Weasley boys surged through, along with Kale, Togga and Ronan. Zacharias was commanding the others as they duelled their opposition.

"Keep going!" he yelled.

Michael corner fired a stunner at someone who was targeting Ginny. He flashed her a smile before going after another guard.

"Come on." Ronan said, galloping for the stairs.

More guards came rushing down to meet them, their wands at the ready.

"Damn!" Togga cursed, blowing one out of the way.

"We'll deal with them!" Kale yelled as he fired at two at once.

Now it was only the Weasley boys, Ginny, Hermione and Fleur left. The fight behind them was getting vicious, as doctors started to use Unforgivables.

"Oh blast!" Fleur yelled as one came near her.

She snarled angrily and let loose. Two thin jets of flame burst from her hands, blasting several attackers away, allowing them to get to the stairs.

"I love you." Bill said as he tugged her away.

They dashed up the stairs. More guards awaited them. They all raised their wands when a massive explosion blew holes out of the floor, knocking people down to the floor below. Ginny grabbed onto the wall, and the others all steadied themselves, as they watched bodies fly everywhere beneath them. Bill swore as he tugged Fleur up, and then tried to clear the air so they could see what was happening, as spells were still being fired by someone.

"What the?" Charlie demanded as stone and dust settled everywhere.

The floor of the third floor was a crumbling ruin, but the guards who were still up with them were firing spells at them all.

"Our turn. Bill said, leading Charlie and fleur against them.

As they three opened up with spells, Hermione picked her way across the ruins, getting to the other side then blasting open the door. She blasted open the door in a fury, and she entered, with the twins, Ron and Ginny following. Fred held out an arm to restrain Ginny from blasting open the door to Akryt's lab.

"What?" Ginny demanded.

"Them!" George shouted, as two more guards entered, a bunch of five others behind them.

"We'll take them! Go and get the cure!" Fred shouted.

Ginny didn't need telling twice. She blasted the door apart, throwing over the room and it crashed through the wall, flying out to sea.

"Wow Ginny!" Hermione said in awe.

Akryt came out from behind a cabinet.

"So, you're the ones making all the noise are you?"

Ginny, Ron and Hermione all pointed their wands at Akryt's face at the same time.

"You foul, murdering little swine. You've tried to murder my husband." Ginny spat.

Akryt smiled patronisingly.

"Please my dear, what do I have against your husband?"

Ginny was about to respond when Ron's foot hit Akryt where it hurt. The man groaned in pain, and he sunk a few centimetres.

"No one tries to murder my best friend and gets away with it." He snarled.

Hermione looked appraisingly at her husband. He was incredibly powerful when someone threatened those he loved, just like Harry. He was brilliant when he was furious.

Akryt staggered upwards.

"So, what's the meaning of all this?"

Hermione soured.

"You know full well. You injected that Sorocine into Harry on purpose, and we want the cure for it."

"But why would I poison Harry Potter?"

"Because Harry is the one who got Dawlish's boss killed, ruining your chance to make a name for yourself. Harry is the one who got you stuck in this job, making poisons to 'cure' the problems of our society. You always wanted to make things, but you didn't want to be ordered to do it. You wanted to purge the society, just like Dawlish and Umbridge, but you wanted it to be on your terms. So the stuff you fed us on our last visit was a load of crap. You want to get rid of half breeds and muggle borns, and you poisoned Harry because he ruined your chances of doing it." Hermione said venomously.

"What could I have against other people?" Akryt scoffed.

"The fact that they're different. That's all. Nothing else. A typical racist. Mr Weasley can try to purge you people from society all he likes, but he never will. Not when there's still resentment from the war left over." Hermione said.

"Enough talking Hermione!" Ginny snapped, her eyes narrowed in the most intense hatred she had ever displayed.

Akryt cowered under her glare.

"Where is the cure for Sorocine?" she asked, stepping forward menacingly.

Akryt pressed his hands against a wall.

"I'm not saying anything."

Ginny snarled.

"Wrong answer."

She kicked him where it counted once again.

"Where is it?"

Akryt smiled.

"Got you."

Two burly guards burst into the room, firing their wands. Hermione sprang out of the way, and Ron transformed, before they both turned to face their opponents and started to engage them in a duel. Akryt soon saw that the two guards were no match for two enraged friend's of Harry. He looked up at Ginny fearfully.

"Where is the cure?" she said in a murderous voice.

He pointed and she grabbed a vial of red liquid. She then glared at Akryt with such intensity that his head hurt.

"Thank you. My Legilimens isn't as good as Harry and Hermione's, but its not far from it."

The two guards suddenly dropped, Hermione having taken Ron's and Ron having taken Hermione's. They both turned their wands to Akryt.

"We're going to tie you up and you're going to sit here until you're arrested for crimes against humanity."

Akryt nodded meekly, but Ginny and Hermione remained suspicious. Ron suddenly saw what he was going to do.

"Hermione!"

He shoved her out of the way when a Bludgeoning Hex blasted him over the room.

"Ron!"

Hermione went to her husband. Ginny pointed her wand at Akryt, but was to late. Hermione got hit by a Bludgeoning Hex too, crashing her on top of her husband.

"Bad move." Ginny snarled, as she whipped her wand around to face Akryt.

Akryt smiled as he leapt to his feet. His wand was like a blur, but he was full of magical bluster, not of real wizarding power. However, his other hand kept twitching, like it longed for another weapon to be in it. Then, she realised she had been conned. He had convinced her he wasn't that good. And now she would pay.

"_Crucio_!"

She hit the ground, cursing in pain. Krayt wasn't as powerful as the curses she had been subject to during the war. He was a cupcake compared to Voldemort and Bellatrix.

"_Protego_!" she breathed.

The pain stopped and she sprang to her feet. She was quite alone, without back up, but that didn't bother her in the slightest. This man had tried to kill her husband, had tried to kill her brother and best friend, and would have gladly seen everyone else she cared about die for his own idea of perfection. She snarled with more venom than she had ever managed, and drew on the vast amounts for love she felt for Harry before pointing her wand directly at Akryt's chest.

"_Avada Kedavra_!"

The green spell hit the man with such force that he was blown over the room, crashed into the wall and slumped down to the floor.

"Never try to murder my husband again." Ginny snarled.

She then rushed over to Ron and Hermione. A little care from Madam Pomfrey would be needed, but otherwise they were fine.

"_Enervate_."

The two groaned as they woke up, wincing in pain.

"Where's Akryt?" Hermione asked, wincing as she pulled herself up.

"Dead."

"Best thing for him." Ron said happily, then regretted it as he moved too quickly.

"Stay here. I'll be back soon."

Ginny got to her feet. Her priority was to find out that everyone else was alright, but above and beyond that, getting the cure to Harry. She entered the out chamber, to see Fred and George smiling at her. They both looked rather frazzled. Fred's robes were smoking, and there were large cuts in George's arms, but aside from that they were fine.

"How did you do that?" Ginny asked in amazement.

"Skill sis." Fred said cheerfully, kicking a down guard.

"They thought they could take us." George said.

"How wrong they were."

Ginny smiled at her two brothers.

"What now?" Fred asked.

"Akryt's dead, and I need to get the cure to Harry. Go and help Ron and Hermione. Akryt got them."

She left the twins, waving to Bill, Fleur and Charlie, who had easily overpowered the remaining guards on the third floor. Going down the stairs, she saw Kale, Ronan and Togga try to move some of the rubble that had been dislodged by the explosion.

"What happened?" Ginny asked.

"Zacharias. He used a massive Blasting Hex. Ricocheted all around the place, and blasted apart the floor above. It was some impressive spell work. Who would have thought he had it in him?" Kale said musingly.

Ginny spotted Zacharias, talking to Michael Corner. Ginny smiled at him, which made a change, then headed down the stairs once more, to the first floor. Sirius ran up to her.

"Are you alright?"

"Yeah. And we got the cure as well. Akryt's dead, and probably a few on the second floor since Smith got through with them."

Sirius looked at her in surprise.

"Was he the one who wrecked the joint?"

"Yeah. The others are fine, but Ron and Hermione are a bit beat up, but that's all."

Sirius smiled at her, and she headed down to the reception area. Her father had his wand pointed at Dawlish, who was screaming about abuses of rights and illegal activities. Her mother was sitting cheerfully on top of the receptionist.

"Ginny dear, are you alright?" Mrs Weasley asked, hugging her.

"I'm fine mum. The receptionist in any fit state?"

"Nope. And your father was wonderful. Outduelled Dawlish easily."

"So were Fred and George. They beat seven guards all by themselves."

Mrs Weasley smiled in pleasure.

"Looks like joining the DA when they were at school wasn't such a bad idea after all."

"Hello dear." Mr Weasley said as Tonks took over with Dawlish.

"I need to get out of here." Ginny said, showing him the cure.

"Of course. Any injuries?"

"Ron and Hermione are a bit beat up, but apart from that, we're all fine, as far as I know."

"Good. Well on you go dear. Go and save Harry." Mrs Weasley said affectionately.

Ginny smiled at her mother and Disapparated.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Atris and Madam Pomfrey looked up.

"At last! Hurry, give it here!" Madam Pomfrey said.

"What's happened?" Ginny asked fearfully.

"He's…taken a turn for the worst. He started to have hallucinations a while ago." Atris gasped.

Ginny rushed through into her and Harry's bedroom. He was still on the bed, deathly pale, sweating, and tossing and turning. His nightmares had lessened since the war ended, but he still had some occasionally.

She looked at him, his body, scrunched up in pain, when he started to moan. He forced open his eyes, his green eyes that she was so fond of, and he screamed out in pain.

"No, don't hurt her!" he yelled.

"Sweetheart, no one's hurting anyone. I promise. Well, except for me and Akryt."

Atris shot her a funny look, but ignored it.

Harry screamed in pain and terror.

"No, leave her alone! Don't hurt her!"

Ginny looked at the mask of fear that was on his face, and knew what he must be seeing. He was seeing someone hurt her.

"Oh Harry."

She kissed his forehead, and got out the cure.

"How do I give it to him?" she asked tearfully.

Harry suddenly screamed in terror again.

"Leave her alone!"

Ginny was on the verge of tears. He was scared, more scared than she had ever seen him.

"Put it in his mouth." Madam Pomfrey ordered.

She slowly opened his mouth, and he let out a low groan. He was dying, and if she didn't move quickly, he would die. She couldn't imagine life without him. Blinking tears from her eyes, she emptied the cure into his mouth. He moaned in pain, and lay still.

"Now all we can do is wait." Madam Pomfrey said.

She and Atris left Ginny alone to watch Harry. Snuggling up beside him, she spoke into his ear.

"Don't you dare die on me now. I love you, and I always will. If you die I don't know what I'll do. You just cant die Harry. I love you too much."

He was terribly still, but breathing. Hugging him, she drifted off into an uneasy sleep.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Ginny woke up slowly. Harry was still lying beside her, still terribly pale and unmoving.

"Harry, please don't die. I love you. I need you. Don't die, whatever you do, don't die." She pleaded tearfully.

After all they had been through together, he couldn't die now. They had both fought, bled, and lost friends during the Second War, but had come out of it alright. He couldn't die. She stroked his cold cheek, looking at him tenderly.

"Don't you dare die on me." She pleaded.

He did not stir, and she held his face in her hands and kissed him. Still nothing happened.

"Wake up." She moaned, afraid that she had failed after all.

Had she been too late in getting the cure to him? Had it taken affect and had it slowly killed her husband?

"Please. Wake up!" she urged him, on the verge of tears.

"Five more minutes." He answered groggily.

"You!" Ginny yelled angrily, but then bent down and kissed him.

"Hi." Harry said happily.

"How long were you awake?" she demanded.

"Since you told me you loved me. I just liked hearing what you were saying." He said mischievously.

She hit him on the chest, then kissed him again.

"I love you too." Harry said, hugging her.

"Don't you ever do that to me again. Next time its your turn to worry. Agreed?" Ginny asked ecstatically.

"Agreed." Harry said, kissing her again.

Ginny hugged him.

"I've missed you." She whispered.

"I've missed you too. It's boring being ill. Mind you, if I get this good treatment every time it happens, I might do it more often."

Ginny shot him a look that could have melted a glacier and he laughed.

"Cant I just stay here with you?" he whined at her.

Ginny pouted.

"Unfortunately not. Everyone's been really worried about you, and they'll want to see you're alright. But, if all goes well, Ron and Hermione should be getting treated in hospital tonight, so we can hopefully have the house to ourselves."

Harry raised an eyebrow.

"Why are they at hospital?"

"Long story. So, do you fancy having your wicked way with me tonight?"

Harry grinned and whispered something in her ear. She went scarlet.

"Harry!"

"Well?"

"Alright. But dirty jobs come first I'm afraid. Enjoyable stuff later."

Harry sighed.

"If that's the best I'm going to get."

He got up and stretched. Ginny admired his body.

"I saw that." Harry said, adventure in his green eyes.

"Good. Come on Chosen One. Your public awaits."

Harry kissed her again and allowed her to lead him from the room.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Harry dear!" Mrs Weasley cried, hugging him.

"Good to see you up and about Harry." Mr Weasley said jovially, clapping his hand on Harry's shoulder.

"You gave us a right good scare mate. Don't do that." Fred said ruffling Harry's hair.

"And stop making a mess of our sister." Bill said warningly.

Harry grinned at them.

"Sorry." He said meekly.

"So you should be." George said, winking at him.

"The other's are all dying to see you Harry. They all thought you were going to die." Charlie said.

"And Sirius apologised." Fleur said.

Harry smiled.

"However, you'll need to wait. You can go and attend to Ron and Hermione however, while I get the joint back to normal." Mr Weasley said.

"And we daresay Ginny will need to _fill _you in." George said patronisingly.

Harry stuck out his tongue, and the others all Disapparated, with promises that they would all come and see him later.

"Christ, you would think I've been dying." Harry said innocently.

Ginny glared at him and he laughed.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Harry!" Hermione exclaimed, hugging him from her bed.

"Good to see you." Ron said, giving him a hug, and then hitting him in the head.

"What was that for?" Harry demanded angrily.

"Worrying us." Ron answered.

Harry laughed.

"So, are you alright now?" Hermione asked in concern.

"Good as new. So, what's the full story?"

So, the three recounted how the entire Order had been summoned, all determined to stop a war and save Harry.

"So, we were just outside the door, when more guards attacked. Fred and George stayed to hold them off while we went inside to deal with Akryt." Ron said.

"The twins were brilliant. In fact, everyone was. That bloody receptionist called mum a pig, so she got her comeuppance, Dawlish got out duelled by dad, the twins went against all those guards and Smith dismantled most of the second floor." Ginny recited.

"But Ginny was fabulous. Kicked Akryt where it counted, threatened him until he gave us the cure. Then he let loose with two of his guards. We outduelled them, but Akryt got us both with the hex. Ginny went mad."

Harry looked at her.

"Can you blame me? He had tried to murder you, then tried to murder Ron and Hermione. Of course I was mad."

Harry grinned at her.

"You are brilliant."

Ginny blushed.

"I do try."

Ron looked at his friend indignantly.

"Hey! We helped!"

"And got the marks to prove it." Hermione moaned, wincing as she moved.

Harry laughed.

"Thanks guys." He said humbly.

"Anytime." Hermione said with a smile.

"And keep your hands off my sister while we're in here!" Ron ordered.

The three others shot him a disbelieving look and erupted into laughter.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

After exchanging all their thanks and voicing their relief that Harry was alive, everyone had to go back to face what they had done. Harry and Ginny were allowed by Sirius, who apologised to Harry, to have the rest of the day off, and the next day as well. However, the trouble was just beginning.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"The CDR., what's this rubbish?" Mr Weasley asked.

"The Commission for Disabled Rights. The leader is called Inhl. Thinks that disabled wizards are looked down upon by the Ministry and wants to do something about it." Brisha explained.

Atris moaned in pain.

"Go home Atris!" Brisha said.

"No! I don't want to go home! I'm not an invalid!"

Mr Weasley looked at her in sympathy, then turned to Brisha.

"Brisha, are you capable of taking over Intelligence?"

"Yes." Brisha said, as if insulted that he thought she wasn't up to it.

"Atris, is there anyone better to take over in your stead?"

Atris sighed.

"No."

"There you have it then. Atris, I know you don't want to, but you need to go and get some rest."

Atris started to cry.

"Arthur, I don't know what I have. It's killing me. I know it is. I've been wanting to ask to get away, so I can go and heal, but I've been too damn proud. I'm going to go away and heal."

Brisha patted Atris on the arm.

"I'll look after the place."

Atris smiled.

"But not until we finish here."

Mr Weasley rolled his yes. He focused for a second on how dead Atris looked. It was as if her body had already died. It was really quite frightening.

"Brisha, how many pressure groups have sprung up in the last three years?"

Brisha sighed.

"Loads. Most are relatively small, but Centaurs for Justice, the Board for Werewolf Equality and the House Elf Liberation Front are gaining a lot of members. People aren't happy with the way things are being done, and are joining these groups to show it."

"Give me a rough estimate. How many?"

Brisha frowned.

"About thirty, at least."

Mr Weasley sighed.

"We're losing control. I thought after the war ended, we would all be fine. But now politics are ripping us apart."

Brisha moaned.

"And now we have a press conference."

Mr Weasley sighed in futility.

"Bugger."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

As predicted, the press were not happy with the way things had been handled.

"Do you deny the claims that your attack on the lab was illegal?" a reporter asked.

Mr Weasley sighed in frustration.

"Our presence there wasn't entirely legal, we admit that, however, we were averting a war."

A woman came to the front of the crowd. She was about medium height, had curly purple hair, and a sour expression. She had piercing yellow eyes, and had long, thin fingers, which had blue finger nails.

"And what proof is there of that?" she asked in a sickly voice.

Kale looked at the woman in distaste.

"And who are you?"

The woman smiled. She had several pointed teeth. If they hadn't known that Lupin had wiped them all out during the war, they would have thought she was a vampire.

"Ethel Thornside."

Mr Weasley's, Brisha's, Atris' and Kale's eyes all narrowed in immediate dislike.

"So where is your evidence that Dawlish was preparing for war?"

Mr Weasley glared at the woman.

"The creation of Sorocine is all the proof needed. Sorocine has not been seen since the Second War and the creation of it never ends well."

Thornside smiled. It reminded Mr Weasley of a snake getting ready to strike. And then she did.

"Oh really? Well, it just so happens that the Sorocine the late, mark the word, Doctor Akryt was experimenting with Sorocine to try and modify it so it could help to completely cure the world of spattergroit."

Silence met these words.

"Cure spattergroit with Sorocine?" Atris scoffed weakly.

However, she looked apprehensive, and her illness was showing. This little escapade could cause more than a week's worth of headlines.

"Well not Sorocine in its proper form, but something within it could be tampered with and made to halt the progress of spattergroit."

Mr Weasley looked in disgust at the woman.

"And now we go onto what actually happened at that lab. The death of Doctor Akryt is terrible. And along with him, three security guards and two more doctors were killed, and three more heavily injured. They were only doing their jobs. And that doesn't even mention the fact that over a hundred thousand pounds worth of damages have been done to Dawlish Laboratories, or the fact that Mr Dawlish is now suing the Ministry of Magic."

There was a clamouring as the press fired questions at the Ministry officials. They were not happy about this. They knew there would be a backlash, but not this large.

"So, would you care explaining who killed Akryt, Minister?"

Mr Weasley did not like this woman at all. She was a mixture of Dolores Umbridge and Rita Skeeter. A truly ghastly thought.

"Was it not your daughter?" Thornside simpered.

"Yes. What of it?"

Atris and Brisha both shook their heads, but it was too late. Thornside had scented blood and was going in for the kill.

"Your daughter, killed a man, just because you suspected he was trying to start a war and kill her husband, when you had no proof of the matter?"

Allegations of corruption and puppet ruling were fired like machine gun bullets.

"Oh no." Brisha moaned.

"Consider this. The Order of the Phoenix, a relic of an organisation, totally unneeded now that the Dark Lord has been destroyed, has attacked a medical; facility, killing six people in the process, just because they suspected the lead doctor of having poisoned their leader?"

Now that fat was really in the fire.

"What do you have to say to those claims Minister?" Thornside asked sweetly.

"Nonsense."

She noted the wavering quality of his voice.

"Corruption, in the post war ministry. Such a pity."

With a slight wave, she Disapparated.

And the throng began, reporters claiming corruption, dictatorship, a demand for new government, inquiries and who knows what else.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

They got away an hour and a half later. Mr Weasley was fuming.

"What a vile woman."

"She's even worse than Rita, and that I saying something." Kale complained.

Atris was looking worse by the second.

"Arthur, I cant stay any more. I need to go." She gasped in pain.

They all looked at her.

"You're sure?" Mr Weasley asked.

"Positive."

"Then go. Come back when you're healed my dear. Keep in touch. Kale will keep an eye on you."

"Thank you."

She disappeared, off to heal herself at long last.

"Poor soul. Now, what are we going to do about that vile woman?" Brisha asked.

"Do my ears deceive me? A vile woman? You're not talking about me are you?" Rita asked as she appeared from around the corner.

"No, worse than you." Kale said.

Rita looked mortified.

"W-worse? Worse than me? Who is this woman? I'll have her locked up in Azkaban for taking my crown!"

Mr Weasley smiled.

"A she-devil by the name of Ethel Thornside. Know her?"

Rita's eyes narrowed in intense dislike.

"Yes. She was my competitor in the early days at the Prophet. So, she's back is she? What did she do?"

"She knew all about our little adventure, is calling my daughter a murderer, the Order a fanatical group and is accusing me of being a puppet ruler of a corrupt Ministry."

"Even do that all in one day." Rita said.

"what can you do about her?"

"Nothing. Just, stay away from the Prophet for a few days."

"Cant you stop her printing it?" Kale asked.

"Not if you want allegations of a police state and press censorship. She'll just print it somewhere else."

"Damn."

Rita smiled and vanished.

"Ever miss the good old days?" Mr Weasley asked.

"Yep. She makes Rita look tame. Hermione will not like this. Imagine that. Rita and Hermione, united in one cause."

Mr Weasley and Brisha shuddered, while Kale laughed.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The next day dawned bright and breezy.

"Hello." Ginny said sleepily.

"Hi. You know, I think we should get agents inside the Dark Arts groups to hex Ron and Hermione every day of the week."

Ginny rolled on top of him and kissed him.

"So we can get the house to ourselves more often?"

"Definitely. It's so much easier to get my wicked way with you when your bloody brother isn't breathing down our necks."

Ginny kissed his neck. Harry smiled at her. The good thing about nearly dying for the who knows whatth time was that his wife doted on him, and he could do whatever he wanted with her. Not that she required much persuasion, as their goals and interests were much the same. He had to admit, when you had nearly died again, Ginny did look even better than usual. Not that there was much difference, as she always looked brilliant anyway. He kissed her again.

"Another day all to ourselves."

The door banged open, revealing Ron and a disgruntled Hermione.

"For heaven's sake Ron!" she scolded.

"Potter! Why is my sister…?"

"Lacking her clothing?" Hermione supplied in a bored voice.

"Because I'm his wife you great moron." Ginny snapped.

"Ginny!" Ron asked pointedly.

Ginny rolled her eyes and pulled the covers of herself and Harry.

"Leave us alone." Harry moaned.

"I bloody well will not! You were doing things to my sister!"

Hermione harrumphed.

"Don't be such a baby. For heaven's sake, grow up. She's her own woman! A fully grown, mature and married woman, who loves her husband. And he's doing, or done, the same thing to her as you were doing to me. That's why the Healer threw us out."

With an angry shaking of her head, she seized Ron and pulled him from the room.

Harry looked despairingly at Ginny.

"We definitely need people in the Dark Arts groups willing to do our bidding. Imagine the possibilities. They would only need to curse Ron."

Ginny sighed.

"I'm beginning to wish I hadn't killed Bella. If we had put her under the Imperius Curse, she could have attacked him any time we wanted, and we could have kept her locked up in the cupboard until we needed her next."

Harry kissed her.

"Well, Hermione is keeping him busy. Why don't we make the best of it?"

Ginny smiled.

"You know, we really need our own house."

"Or our own Death Eater."

They both laughed.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Harry and Ginny joined the other two at the table. Hermione was scowling at the newspaper in front of her.

"What's wrong?" Harry asked, sitting down and receiving a dirty look from Ron.

Ginny rolled her eyes and looked at the paper.

"Who's Ethel Thornside when she's at home?"

Hermione frowned.

"A reporter who's even worse than Rita."

She threw the paper towards Harry, and Ginny read it over his shoulder. The main headline was:

**Corruption in the Ministry!**

There were small articles that lead to other reports.

**Daughter of the Minister: Murderess or Saviour?**

Next was:

**Director of Intelligence: On Death's Door?**

Another report was headed:

**Dictatorship returns!**

The last one:

**Order of the Phoenix: Controlled or controlling?**

"Christ, doesn't leave any hold barred does she?" Ron asked.

"Let's look at the first one. _Corruption in the Ministry. The Ministry of Magic is controlled by the Minister for Magic. This is common fact. But can we trust a man who allows his daughter to run freely, murdering at will? Yesterday, the Order of the Phoenix attacked Dawlish Laboratories, the site of the Cure's creation. Thus far, the incident has gone unpunished, and has even been praised by some members of the Ministry with unacceptable muggle born leanings. The Ministry obviously is not interested in the well being of the people it commands and controls, and all they are interested in is their own affairs. The Ministry has yet to deliver on most of the promises that it made following the conclusion of the Second War. Can we really trust these people, who are plainly interested only in themselves, to lead us through these trying times?"_

Harry stopped reading and looked at the others.

"Charming woman."

The article continued for two more pages. Ignoring this, he flicked to the report on Ginny.

"_Ginny Weasley Potter, daughter of Minister for Magic Arthur Weasley and wife of celebrated hero Harry Potter, has killed once again. Mrs Potter was labelled the 'Mistress Murderer' after her defeat and killing of You-Know-Who's second in command, Bellatrix Lestrange. Mrs Potter was also the person who was responsible for the death of the entire Dementor species, after destroying their leader, Demagoth, at the Battle of Hogwarts. So, has Mrs Potter developed a taste for killing? Has she become like the one she ran through with the sword of Gryffindor at the Battle of Earth? For yesterday, the Prophet can exclusively reveal, that Ginny Potter killed yet again, this time the creator of the Cure, Doctor Luminius Akryt. Harry Potter, who was accidentally infected with Sorocine two days ago, was dying when the rogue Order of the Phoenix attacked the lab. Ginny Potter, enraged that someone had tried to murder her husband, or so she claims, killed Doctor Akryt But where was the proof that Akryt deliberately tried to murder Harry Potter? Was it not just a laboratory accident that infected Potter? Mrs Potter had no legal right to be anywhere near the lab, let alone lead an assault by a highly dangerous group of powerful wizards. So, should we allow ourselves to continue to let this possible threat to our security walk free? As the daughter of the Minister for Magic, and as the wife of hero Harry Potter, she could be a very dangerous threat to the security of the wizarding world. So, perhaps it is time the Minister stops reacting, and reacts before the 'Dementor Destroyer' does something that will cause more pain and suffering to the already troubled life of young Harry Potter."_

Ginny glared at the paper, but Harry could see she was hurt.

"Hey. I know you, and you're not anything like this blasted woman has painted you out to be."

Ginny let herself by hugged to him.

"She's making me out to be a mad mass murderer like Bellatrix. Like I'm evil."

Harry kissed her cheek, and even Ron didn't complain this time.

"You aren't a mad mass murderer. And you are definitely not evil. In fact you are one of the purest people I know."

Ginny smiled and snuggled up to him, while Hermione took the paper and turned to the article about Atris.

"_Director of Ministry Intelligence Atris, is reported to be on death's door. Since contracting a mysterious illness a year ago, Director Atris has been growing steadily weaker and more ill with each passing day. She has started to miss work, and has been seen making frequent visits to St Mungo's to try and find out what's wrong with her. Atris is clearly in a very frail state, yet the Minister for Magic refuses to allow her to go away to try and heal herself. In an interview with a Healer of St Mungo's Hospital, this was revealed by the head of the Poisons Ward._

'_Director Atris has apparently contracted some sort of poison, and should be getting time off to heal herself. I am appalled that the Minister thinks that the Ministry is more important than the well being of one of it's highest placed members.'_

_Director Atris is also a member of the Order of the Phoenix, the antiquated group that has little real purpose now that the Dark Lord has been defeated. Should another member of this possibly dangerous secret society be allowed to hold a position of power in the Ministry that claims it is trying to rebuild the world? However, there is one good thing to come from Director Atris' illness. The poor woman, now visibly ailing and struggling to stay alive, has now been allowed to go and heal herself. So, in her absence, second in command of Intelligence, Brisha Eir, is taking over. A person in power who does not belong to the Order of the Phoenix. Maybe there is yet hope."_

"You know, this woman makes Rita look like a nice person." Ron said in a dark tone.

"Yeah she does. She's making it sound like we're controlling the Ministry, Ginny's a mass murderer and Atris is on her deathbed." Harry said angrily.

The last part of the statement was the only one that might have had a vestige of the truth in it.

"Read the one on the dictatorship Hermione." Ginny said.

"_The Ministry of Magic is on the verge of becoming a dictatorship, experts claimed today. The Ministry reacts violently to any possible threat to its power, as evidenced in the terrorist crisis and the creation of the cure, both of which have led to deaths on the side opposing the Ministry. The terrorist Idalma had justified complaints, yet she was not offered a chance to bring them to public knowledge before a team of Aurors, led by Harry Potter, killed her. Doctor Akryt sought only to help the world, but was killed by Ginny Potter before he could make any difference. Both of these murderers are family of the Minister for Magic, and act violently on his behalf. Why are Aurors spending their time chasing down innocent doctors and scientists when people like Tyber Zann are running around unchecked? Because the Ministry is using the threat of the Dark Arts groups. They are using the Dark Arts groups to pass through laws that should not be passed. In other words: the Ministry is exploiting the attacks of the Dark Arts groups for their own ends, to establish a police state. Dictatorship is coming once again. It hasn't been seen since Dolores Umbridge was killed during the war, but it's coming once again on swift heels. I urge the public to stand fast and block the laws the ministry tries to pass."_

"The stuff's about as convincing as Bella's psychiatrist saying she's quite sane." Harry said.

"Well lets get it over with. What do they say about us controlling the Ministry?" Ron asked.

"_The Order of the Phoenix, the group responsible for the downfall of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, has a lot of power in this post war era. The group isn't really needed anymore. But, is the Order secretly in control of our affairs? The Minister for Magic, Director of Intelligence, Head of Military, Finance Minister and Head of Law Enforcement, all highly placed positions, are all controlled by the Order of the Phoenix. Many Undersecretary places are filled by members of the Order, as are some Wizengamot places. It is quite plain that the Ministry is in the grip of this fanatical sect, determined to cling on to a last bit of power now that the need for them has dried up. During the war, it was not an appointed commission, as it should have been, that appointed the new way of running things. After each defeat of Dolores Umbridge, it was Harry Potter who decided who should rule the magical world. Kingsley Shacklebolt and Arthur Weasley were both ordered to become the new Ministers by Harry Potter. This is plainly a ploy to gain control of the government. And, as his own father in law is in charge of the government, Harry Potter has a direct say in the shaping of our world. It is quite plain that the Order wants to retain the power it had during the war, and is obviously prepared to go to any lengths to keep it."_

"What a load of old rubbish." Hermione snapped.

"Why did Rita let her print it?" Ron asked as he turned to the sports section.

"Because if not, she would have got more ammo for her dictatorship argument, saying that the press is being censored." Harry complained.

"And, because so many people are angry with the way the ministry, not us, the Ministry, handled the Cure affair, a lot of people are going to listen." Ginny moaned.

The fire blazed, and Sirius' head appeared.

"Hey guys. We've found Zann."

Harry grinned.

"Yeah, but I'm still off and so is Ginny. Ron and Hermione will have to go."

The two shot them a venomous glance and headed to the fire.

"See you." Sirius said, winking at Harry.

Ron and Hermione waved grumpily and followed.

"Now that we've got rid of them, what are we going to do today?" Harry asked mischievously.

Ginny grinned.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The cottage was on the edge of a large cliff, overlooking the sea. It was a small affair, but adequate for the former Minister for Magic, as he now lived alone, as his wife had left three months previously. Now, he was content to spend time writing his memoirs. Cornelius Fudge wrote down another line. This wasn't how it was supposed to be. Scrimgeour had fired him after he had blamed Fudge for the lack of cooperation from Harry Potter. That boy had lost him power, influence and everything he held dear. Without the means to support himself, his wife had given up and went away to live with a new man. Now, Fudge hoped to regain his prominence by writing his book and showing that Harry Potter was not all he cracked up to be. Treacherous little scumbag. The door opened, revealing Dimala. She had been a lucky find, and was quite willing to help him regain power.

"The people are furious with the Ministry." She said slowly.

"So?" Fudge asked.

Dimala looked unsure.

"We could use it to our advantage. The people are angry with the government, and will most likely only get angrier. Eventually they will cry out for better leadership."

Fudge smiled. A plan was beginning to form in her mind, and it was the same as his plan.

"An alternative?"

"Exactly."

Fudge looked at her and they both started to laugh.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Brisha smiled as she signed another form. She was on top of the food chain. Everything was going as planned.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The reports published had the desired effect. People started to doubt the Ministry, and people were worried that the government was losing it's grip. The pressure groups had a huge influx of new members, and the Dark Arts groups power was slowly increasing. Atris went away to heal, and was frequently visited by Kale. Ethel Thornside was still flitting around, pressing her campaign that the Ministry was corrupt. The foundations of the wizarding world were coming apart. Not noticeably. But enough. Things were happening once again. The time was coming.

**So, things are on the move. A lot of stuff that's important later happens here, so watch carefully. One more small story then we're onto the big one. Hope you liked this one. Please read and review.**


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